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Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Managed to get to Galley for the last half hour of light tonight in a fairly stiff south-westerly. Wasn't quite as good as I'd hoped but I was maybe a bit late. Did manage 2 puffins and 2 bonxies for the year (94), and 1 sandwich tern, while manx shearwaters were coming past in bunches of 30 at a time (approx. 600 per hour).

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Another morning wander with not very much to show for it - the male yellowhammer was singing again, a collared dove at Shite Lane was the second for the year, and a sedge warbler was just beginning to break into song in the roadside roses at Long Strand (92).

Saturday, April 18, 2009

Another blank this morning with just a few willow warblers and chiffchaffs singing around the place. A first winter iceland gull at Long Strand is getting a bit late, while year tick of the day materialised at lunchtime in the form of a whitethroat singing near the house (91).

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

A fine male ring ouzel booting around shite lane crossroads was a real bonus for the year (89) - can be tricky enough in autumn, but this is my first spring one at Galley. Nothing much else doing, although the male yellowhammer was still trying his hardest to find a mate - give it up, fella!

Friday, April 10, 2009

Still quiet this morning but two willow warblers in Dirk Bay and a trickle of sand martins over were both new for the year (87). A few swallows were knocking around too, and the singing yellowhammer was still present this morning - bet it gives up soon though!

News of a male sub-alp and honey buzz at Mizen Head stung me into action late afternoon, but didn't do better than 2 chiffchaffs, one singing (!) yellowhammer and c.60 golden plovers wheeling around. Did glean a house martin for the year at Long Strand this evening (85).

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Another blustery wet day produced a steady stream of manx shearwaters (1,900 per hour) and puffins (150 per hour) plus 2 pomarine skuas and 8 bonxies west. Two sandwich terns were off Long Strand mid-morning.

Sunday, April 5, 2009

The 1st winter glaucous gull was lumbering past the window again this morning when I opened the blinds. A bit wet and windy so I didn't venture out, but did have 2 or 3 swallows hawking over the lake - still no sand martins though!

Congratulations to the 10,000th blog visitor, who hails from Altrincham in Cheshire, and visited at 14.50 this very pm - its only taken 2 years to get this many! But that's page views folks, not hits (or something) - here's to the next 10,000!!

Saturday, April 4, 2009

The sight of a 1st winter glaucous gull and a 1st winter iceland gull at Long Strand first thing this morning wasn't very spring like, however 5 chiffchaffsand a collared dove in Dirk Bay was more encouraging, as was 2 wheatears and 1 manx shearwater from the lighthouse, with a female merlin trying to slay everything in her path. Two swallows at Long Strand this lunchtime were long overdue for the year (84).